Latest news with #ChargeHub
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WirelessCar, Blink, and ChargeHub Collaborate to Launch 'Seamless Charging' Pilot Program Across North America
Transformative Initiative is Designed to Simplify EV Charging Across the United States and Canada GOTHENBURG, Sweden, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WirelessCar, a global leader in connected vehicle services, has announced a collaboration with Blink Charging Co. ("Blink"), a leading owner, operator, provider and manufacturer of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment and services, and ChargeHub, North America's leading EV roaming hub, to launch an innovative `Seamless Charging' pilot program in the United States and Canada. This ground-breaking initiative is designed to redefine the EV charging experience, making it faster, easier, and more accessible for drivers. For anyone who does not have easy access to EV charging infrastructure, using an EV may seem complicated. A lot of apps, tags and cards meant to make the process easier may in fact deter new users; especially if these apps or devices make the charging process less convenient than refuelling an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. The 'Seamless Charging' initiative eliminates common barriers to EV charging through a simple, single-app signup. By leveraging an advanced connected services feature, EV drivers can plug into Blink chargers without needing to log into multiple apps or manage various accounts. After a one-time registration with the ChargeHub app and activation of Seamless Charging, drivers will simply plug in at any Blink Charging Station, and walk away. Powered by connected vehicle data and events, Seamless Charging is a WirelessCar innovation that simplifies public charging, particularly for those without access at home. The solution utilizes information shared by both the vehicle and charging provider. When the EV is plugged in, the driver is notified that charging has started—automatically and without cards, apps, or additional steps. The result is a radically more convenient EV charging experience, powered by connectivity. "At WirelessCar, we're committed to making the connected vehicle experience effortless and intuitive," said Niklas Florén, CEO of WirelessCar. "Seamless Charging is a powerful example of how we turn vehicle data into everyday convenience—by removing friction from public EV charging. We're proud to collaborate with Blink and ChargeHub to bring this innovation to EV drivers across North America." "We're thrilled to collaborate with WirelessCar and ChargeHub to bring the innovative 'Seamless Charging' pilot concept to North America," said Mike Battaglia, CEO of Blink "This project is about improving accessibility and convenience for EV drivers, ensuring a smooth transition to electric mobility." Simon Ouellette, CEO of ChargeHub added, "Our mission at ChargeHub is to help drivers find and seamlessly pay at charging stations. We connect every part of the EV ecosystem to make this a reality. We're excited to collaborate with WirelessCar and Blink on the innovative 'Seamless Charging' pilot concept in North America." Media Contact: Hanna BelleusVP Marketing & Communications WirelessCar+46 428 88 84 This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: Seamless Charging - WirelessCar x Blink x ChargeHub View original content: SOURCE WirelessCar Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
EV Connect Partners with ChargeHub, Joins North America's Largest EV Roaming Hub
ChargeHub and EV Connect are expanding charging access by adding 15,000 EV Connect ports to Passport Hub, connecting over 140,000 stations across North America. 'Roaming is no longer a nice-to-have. Through Passport Hub, we are extending the reach of our network while giving site hosts access to millions of new drivers.'— Cassie Layton, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing at EV Connect LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2025 / / -- EV Connect, one of the largest charge point operators (CPO) in the U.S., has partnered with ChargeHub to make nearly 15,000 new public charging ports available through Passport Hub, the leading roaming platform in the United States and Canada. As part of Passport Hub, EV Connect's network will become accessible through dozens of e-mobility service providers (eMSPs), including the popular ChargeHub app. This integration gives millions of EV drivers broader access to EV Connect stations, making public charging more convenient and efficient. Adding EV Connect's stations brings Passport Hub's total to more than 140,000 compatible charging ports across North America. This extensive network covers approximately 78% of CCS and J1772 networked stations, offering access to the largest pool of site operators through a single turnkey integration. 'Roaming is no longer a nice-to-have. It is essential infrastructure for EV adoption,' said Cassie Layton, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing at EV Connect. 'Through Passport Hub, we are extending the reach of our network while giving site hosts access to millions of new drivers. This partnership is about making public charging more accessible, while helping our customers drive more charging station utilization.' 'Welcoming EV Connect to Passport Hub reflects the strong momentum behind our mission,' said Simon Ouellette, CEO of ChargeHub. 'With each new addition, we're closing the gap toward 100% roaming coverage and, thanks to the trust of leading CPOs, expanding Passport Hub's reach to deliver reliable roaming at scale.' This partnership reflects a shared objective to scale EV adoption by making public charging easier to access and more straightforward to manage for all industry stakeholders. Through streamlined roaming capabilities and increased charger accessibility, they are shaping a brighter, more connected future for electric transportation. About EV Connect EV Connect is the all-in-one EV charging platform that successfully delivers the tools to build, run, and scale EV charging businesses. The platform serves a broad set of use cases for customers, including Charge Point Operators (CPOs), charging network providers, Fortune 500 companies, charging business upstarts and trailblazers, fleet-scale transportation providers, and electric utilities. EV Connect customers benefit from cutting-edge software features with premium service experiences, such as branded customer support, EV charging station procurement, deployment and installation support, and the latest driver app technology. Because technology, public policy, and technical standards constantly evolve and change, EV Connect has built its platform and tools to ensure that an investment in electric vehicle charging equipment delivers exceptionally reliable performance, confidence in station utilization and revenue management, and return on investment. Founded in 2010, EV Connect offers the tools and connections for EV charging businesses of any size, with the power of an open-platform approach and a trusted partner network. For more information, please visit and follow us on X and LinkedIn. About ChargeHub ChargeHub is renowned for Passport Hub, the leading EV roaming platform in North America, trusted by e-mobility service providers (eMSPs) and charge point operators (CPOs) for over 230 live roaming connections. Its turnkey solution simplifies integrations, streamlines operations, and enables large-scale EV roaming for drivers. Passport Hub also supports secure, automated Plug & Charge transactions, offering the most seamless, end-to-end charging experience. Additionally, ChargeHub operates North America's largest network-independent, community-driven EV charging app, used by over 1 million drivers annually. For more information, please visit - 30 - Media Contact Jamie Corter Technica Communications for EV Connect [email protected] Simon Pillarella +1 888-400-0164 press@chargehub Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
7 Lesser Known Free EV Charging Options
Electric vehicles have become more mainstream -- more than one in five new passenger cars sold last year was an EV or plug-in hybrid. But the perks awarded to early adopters are slowly disappearing. Case in point: Tesla stopped providing unlimited free Supercharging with new models a couple of years ago (the company offers some charging perks during sales). EV drivers are also losing another avenue of free charging with the conversion of Volta's network of ad-supported chargers into paid ones, after the company was acquired by Shell. While it's cheaper than filling a gas tank, paid public charging is a cost per kilowatt hour. Free options still exists, but these no-fee charging options are likely to shrink over time. "As more and more people are adopting electric vehicles, free charging perks will slowly subside, and it will be a charge for charge," said Grant Gold, director of real estate solutions at EV Connect. We asked industry experts the little known ways you can still find 100% free public charging stations. Here's how: A few years ago, several retailers, including Macy's and Kroger, announced that they would be adding free charging locations at select stores. Those programs, mainly backed by Volta, are now disappearing. One company still offering free charging is Cinemark. A representative for the movie theater chain confirmed that 160 free EV charging stations are available at select locations. The representative recommended using apps such as PlugShare to find these chargers, or calling your local theater. At one point, Tesla and other charging infrastructure companies struck deals with hotel chains to install chargers at select locations, and hotels offered guests the ability to charge for free. Now, however, hotels are installing their own charging infrastructure, and are hence less generous. "As newer installations start to outnumber the previous Tesla Destination chargers, I would estimate that maybe 30% of hotels with EV chargers still provide free charging," said Tony Booth, founder and CEO at Stay-N-Charge, an EV charging service provider focusing on the hospitality industry. "Most are moving to a charge-per-use model if they own them, or allowing other companies to install the chargers, in which case they have no control over pricing." Booth recommends anyone seeking out free charging perks at hotels to check in with full-service brands such as Marriott, Hilton or Intercontinental. "The higher the room rate, the more likely you will get free charging," Booth said. "Either way, the driver still somewhat pays for it either with higher room rates or by paying for the charge itself." Check ahead before making a reservation, or visit charging map services such as PlugShare, ChargeFinder or ChargeHub to view the status of area stations. Many colleges have EV charging on campus. Some make it free for students, professors and staff and, on some campuses, even visitors. Santa Clara University and the University of Florida, for example, provide free charging in partnership with ChargePoint. Typically, there are restrictions: The University of Florida, for example, enforces a four-hour time limit, and you must have a university parking sticker if you're charging before 4:30 p.m. There are more than 140 chargers available at national parks across the country, according to Kampgrounds of America. Some are free, including six Level 2 charging stations at the Oasis at Death Valley in California, which are powered by the resort's onsite solar field. You can find a map of EV charging stations in the National Park System. Adopt a Charger, a nonprofit organization that aims to accelerate the adoption of EVs, teams up with various sponsors to install free chargers at parks, museums and rest areas. See a list of its chargers here. Certain municipalities also offer free EV charging. For example, Westchester County in New York installed 25 charging stations at the County Center's South Parking Lot available to use at no cost to event attendees, mass transit commuters, Bicycle Sunday participants and visitors to the Bronx River Parkway Reservation walk and bike trail. Volta offered an interesting model to EV owners: watch ads, and get 30 minutes of free Level 2 charging. However, this program will soon disappear after Shell acquired the company in 2023. "Shell Recharge is in the process of implementing payments across the network, including Level 2 (L2) chargers," said a representative of Shell's US media relations team. "Paid charging sessions help enable Shell Recharge to provide a better experience for drivers by supporting ongoing network maintenance that improves charger reliability and convenience." The representative added that requiring pay for charging as well as enabling idle fees will discourage squatting at the more than 4,000 Shell Recharge stations across the US to allow more people to use them. EV drivers still have time to enjoy free charging, though it's not clear for how much longer. "At this time, we are working through the phaseout timeline to ensure a consistent experience for all customers, but yes, customers can charge for free at stations where payments have not been enabled," the representative said. There are hundreds of libraries, museums, government offices, nonprofits and private businesses that offer free EV charging. Charging map services such as PlugShare, ChargeFinder or ChargeHub show stations across the country, with a setting for free chargers. Just go to the filters and find the option for free charging. You can also get information on how many minutes you can charge, at what level, the status of the station and more. Since much of this info is primarily crowdsourced, you may want to double-check its accuracy. While Tesla may no longer offer unlimited free Supercharging with new models, other automakers still provide free charging packages to customers. Below is a table that rounds up many of the offers, most of which are through Electrify America and EVgo. Model Offer Network ACURA ZDX 60 kWh included from Electrify America; Option for $750 EVgo charging credit Electrify America, EVgo 2024 Audi e-tron Q8, SQ8, GT/RS and Sportback versions Free unlimited DC charging for two years Electrify America 2025 Audi Q4 e-tron, e-tron and etron S and Sportback versions 250 kWh of free charging for two years Electrify America 2023 Audi e-tron GT/RS e-tron GT Free unlimited charging for three years Electrify America 2025 Audi Q6 One year of complimentary charging energy Electrify America BMW i4, i5, and iX 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging Electrify America BMW i7 2,000 kWh of complimentary charging Electrify America Cadillac Lyriq Free charging for two years if buyer doesn't choose a home installation credit EVgo Genesis Electrified G80, GV70 and GV60 Free unlimited DC charging for the first 30 minutes or Level 2 charging for the first 60 minutes for three years. Electrify America Honda Prologue Up to $750 EVgo credit if buyer doesn't choose installation credit, plus 60 kWh Electrify America charge allowance EVgo, Electrify America Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 Free unlimited DC charging for the first 30 minutes for two years. Electrify America Hyundai IONIQ and Kona Electric 250 kWh of free charging Electrify America Kia EV6 and EV9 1,000 kWh of free charging for three years Electrify America Kia Niro EV 500 kWh of free charging for three years Electrify America Mercedes-Benz EQB, EQE, EQE SUV, EQS and EQS SUV Free unlimited DC charging for the first 30 minutes for two years Electrify America Porsche Macan, Taycan Complimentary DC Fast charging sessions for the first 30 minutes, or 60 minutes for AC Level 2 charging, for one year Electrify America Toyota bZ4X Free unlimited DC charging for one year at any EVgo station EVgo Volkswagen ID.4, Three years to use 500 kWh of complimentary charging Electrify America Read on: 12 Places That Offer EV Charging While You Shop
